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US 6,237,755 B1Granted
Chain drive with adjustable friction
AssigneeTekno, Inc.
InventorRobert T. Clopton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system is provided, in which the drive chain has features that permit control of the threshold driving force that will be reached before the chain's carrier rollers begin to rotate to permit accumulation or slip. The threshold driving force is controlled by friction members which are located between split portions of the carrier rollers and by the angle of the outer surface of the carrier rollers as well as by the amount of force provided by a biasing member. The threshold force depends upon the angle and the amount of biasing force.
Claims16
A conveyor, comprising:
- a conveyor frame;
- a carriage, having rollers which roll along said conveyor frame;
- and
- an adjustable friction chain, which drives said carriage along said conveyor frame, said chain including:
- a plurality of links, each link including left and right sidebars;
- chain pins extending through the sidebars;
- split carrier rollers rotatably mounted on the chain pins;
- each of said split carrier rollers comprising two separate roller pieces;
- and a friction member mounted between and in friction contact with said carrier roller pieces so as to restrict rotation of the carrier roller pieces until a threshold force is reached.
6 more elements
A conveyor, comprising:
- a support frame;
- a movable member that moves relative to the frame;
- a drive chain mounted on one of said support frame and said movable member;
- said drive chain including left and right sidebars;
- chain pins mounted on said sidebars;
- split carrier rollers mounted on said chain pins;
- friction members mounted between the split carrier rollers;
- said split carrier rollers defining tapered outer edge surfaces;
- a complementary-shaped recessed tapered drive surface mounted on the other of said support frame and said movable member, said complementary-shaped tapered drive surface receiving the outer edge surfaces of the carrier rollers, such that the carrier rollers will drive against the tapered drive surface until the friction force between the split carrier rollers and the friction members is overcome, and then the carrier rollers will rotate, allowing the chain to move relative to the tapered drive surface.
6 more elements
A chain drive, comprising:
- a roller chain, including sidebars;
- chain pins connecting the sidebars together;
- left and right carrier roller portions mounted for rotation on the sidebars and defining an outer edge;
- non-rotating friction members mounted between the left and right carrier roller portions;
- and
- a drive member defining a recessed surface which contacts the outer edge of the carrier roller halves.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.